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I want to make a portable flash drive with Ubuntu Mate on it as backup and keep that flash drive in my backpack (which I take everywhere). I don't like to use other people's computers, so I'd rather have an own OS ready to use whenever needed. My intention is having the flash drive carry the actual system of Ubuntu Mate, not an installer.

Now I'm not entirely sure what to install, 64-bit or 32-bit. My main reason for that is that I don't know if plugging in my flash drive (with 64-bit Ubuntu Mate) on a 32-bit hardware machine, I can actually boot and use it.

Is that possible or should I go with 32-bit for compatibility?

Editing because of "possible duplicate": I think my question is similar, though more specific. I'd find it weird if moderators would not consider this a question on it's own. I've also been searching for an answer to this, for over an hour, without finding one. That's why I'm asking it on here.

sudodus
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  • Also, would this count for all Ubuntu flavors or only for Mate? (sorry if this is a stupid question, I'm just not very experienced) –  Sep 25 '17 at 16:39
  • I would use 64 bit. It will NOT run on a 32 bit machine, but it is getting next to impossible to find a 32 bit machine. – Panther Sep 25 '17 at 16:40
  • thanks for the reassurance, bodhi.zazen. I'm going to try and find how much that chance is, though this kinda pushed me to use 64bit already –  Sep 25 '17 at 16:53
  • If you know that you have a 32-bit computer (with a 32-bit processor for example Intel Pentium 4 from around 2004), you need a 32-bit operating system. You might download both a 64-bit iso file and a 32-bit iso file if you have new, middle-aged and [very] old computers or if you are not sure. Please tell us what would be the oldest computer (and if possible brand name, model, and processor), that you intend to boot. – sudodus Sep 25 '17 at 16:53
  • and karel, I think my question is similar, though more specific. I'd find it weird if moderators would not consider this a question on it's own. I've also been searching for an answer to this, for over an hour, without finding one. –  Sep 25 '17 at 16:55
  • sudodus the thing is, I'd like to cover most of the situations I can get in with this, so if it's true that it's becoming next-to-impossible to find 32bit machines the single best solution would be a 64bit version. The oldest machines would probably be those @ my work and/or school, but you never know. –  Sep 25 '17 at 16:58
  • You can find such computers, but most people have sent them to recycling. It is more important to have an operating system, that works in UEFI mode (of new computers with Windows pre-installed), and it is possible but difficult to find such operating systems, that are 32-bit. So if you want only one system, I think 64-bit would be a good choice. – sudodus Sep 25 '17 at 17:06
  • @sudodus That's not quite true. You're likely going to have to get into BIOS in many cases to boot from USB anyway, so you can also just change the BIOS to use legacy boot in most cases. The few where UEFI would be required, are unlikely going to let you do insecure boot from a USB anyway. – dobey Sep 25 '17 at 17:15
  • The following link might be useful for you. It describes how to create an installed system in an external drive (typically a fast USB 3 pendrive), https://askubuntu.com/questions/786986/boot-ubuntu-from-external-drive/942312#942312 – sudodus Sep 25 '17 at 17:16
  • @dobey, you may be right about that :-) But it is definitely a complication to have to switch to BIOS mode (alias CSM alias legacy mode). If a friend's computer, it would be enough to turn off secure boot once (and leave it there) until next time. Windows won't mind booting without secure boot. – sudodus Sep 25 '17 at 17:21
  • The following link might also be useful for you. It describes a persistent live system with a 32-bit kernel, that can boot also in UEFI mode, even with secure boot, https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb/persistent/LXLE – sudodus Sep 25 '17 at 17:58
  • Wow, thanks for all that info, @sudodus ! That's certainly a lot of help –  Sep 27 '17 at 22:18
  • You are welcome, Spurkl3z, Please keep us informed about what you choose and if it is a good solution for you :-) – sudodus Sep 28 '17 at 05:38

5 Answers5

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A 64-bit version of Ubuntu will not even boot on a 32-bit system. A 32-bit version of Ubuntu will run on 32-bit AND 64-bit systems with no problems.

You should make a 32-bit LiveUSB/LiveCD. I have a portable (32-bit) Ubuntu environment on my keychain that I jump into when I access a Windows PC (yes, I'm an Ubuntu fan).

Caution: If your 64-bit system crashes and doesn't boot, you cannot jump into the system via chroot. That's why I also have a 64-bit LiveUSB for emergency.

Hope I helped you.

George Mathioudakis
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  • If you install both the 64-bit and 32-bit kernels in a 32-bit version of Ubuntu, then you can use a single 32-bit live USB for these situations, so you can boot with an appropriate kernel for the CPU, but keep 32-bit user space to work on 32-bit systems. – dobey Sep 25 '17 at 18:26
  • That's a good idea for sure. Will have to pick between Multisystem and this, I think both are great solutions to be honest. Thanks a lot –  Sep 27 '17 at 22:20
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It does not matter if it is installed on a flash drive or an internal hard drive: it is the CPU that is making the calculations. If is is a 32 bit CPU, then it cannot run 64 bit anything (unless maybe you emulate it, but that seems pointless to me). 64 bit CPUs are backwards compatible, though. This does not only apply to Mate, it applies to everything. Note: x86 is 32 bit, amd64 is 64 bit.

Feldspar15523
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  • this is not what I'm trying to ask tho, knew this already. though thanks for the really fast reply –  Sep 25 '17 at 16:50
  • So is the usb an install stick or will it actually have the system installed on it? – Feldspar15523 Sep 25 '17 at 16:59
  • it will have the system installed on it, a ready-to-use full OS in flash drive size, ready to be plugged in and used whenever. correcting the main question rn –  Sep 25 '17 at 17:03
  • You can't emulate a 64-bit CPU on a 32-bit CPU. The data just won't fit. – dobey Sep 25 '17 at 17:05
  • @Spurkl3z it doesn't matter there. the Ubuntu install image is a live system. You can boot off it and run Ubuntu. Inserting a second USB flash drive to install to, wont' change how the software runs. – dobey Sep 25 '17 at 17:07
  • second time, that's not my question. @dobey –  Sep 25 '17 at 17:07
  • Isn't that what qemu does? – Feldspar15523 Sep 25 '17 at 17:07
  • @Feldspar15523 No. Try booting a 64-bit image on a 32-bit CPU with qemu. It won't work. The kernel and CPU will have to be 64-bit to be able to run a 64-bit image in qemu. – dobey Sep 25 '17 at 17:09
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If you want a flash drive with an Ubuntu system installed on it, that you can boot on generic x86 PC (not Macs), you would be better off using the 32-bit ISO. Anyone who says it's not likely you're going to see 32-bit computers any more, has never been out in the real world.

It still will not run on any PC (Macs have different boot requirements for example).

However, the core answer to your question is no, you cannot run 64-bit code on a 32-bit CPU. There simply isn't enough space to fit the data.

dobey
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I would go for both 32bit and 64bit live usb. Multisystem here can resolve your issue within one pendrive.

kukulo
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  • Tbh this seems to be a very good solution, I'm gonna research this and try to do it already. Thanks c= –  Sep 27 '17 at 20:28
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Persistent live, 32-bit, in BIOS mode and UEFI mode even secure boot

It is possible but difficult to find an operating systems, that is 32-bit, and can boot both in BIOS mode and UEFI mode. Such a system can boot most PC computers with Intel/AMD processors.

The following link might be useful for you. It describes a persistent live Ubuntu based system with a 32-bit kernel, that can boot also in UEFI mode, even with secure boot,

LXLE is a 'respin' developed from Lubuntu which is a 'community flavour' developed from Ubuntu.

64-bit systems boot both in BIOS mode and UEFI mode

Installed system, boots both in BIOS mode and UEFI mode

It is possible to create an installed system in a USB pendrive, that can boot both in BIOS mode and UEFI mode. But this system does not work in 32-bit computers.

See this link,

An easy shortcut is to start from a compressed image file, which is described in the link.

Persistent live system, boots both in BIOS mode and UEFI mode

You can create a persistent live system from a 64-bit Ubuntu community flavour systems (Kubuntu, Lubuntu, ... Xubuntu), that works also in UEFI mode. But it will not work in computers with a 32-bit processor.

It is easier to make it as flexible as possible, when running in BIOS mode.

Several operating systems for 32-bit and 64-bit computers in BIOS mode

All 32-bit operating systems for PC computers with Intel/AMD processors boot in 32-bit computers and 64-bit computers. Most of them will not boot in UEFI mode. This is certainly an alternative, but new computers are usually delivered with Windows installed in UEFI mode, and you would need to enter the UEFI/BIOS menu system and set it in BIOS mode alias CSM alias legacy mode in order to run such a system in such new computers.

Persistent live, 32-bit, boots both in BIOS mode and UEFI mode, but not secure boot

Such Ubuntu and Ubuntu community flavour systems (Kubuntu, Lubuntu, ... Xubuntu) can be used to create a persistent live drive, that works also in UEFI mode. But they will usually not boot with secure boot. See these links,

sudodus
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